Oskar Schindler is coming to mind…how much is a soul worth?
Based on the title and subject of this website, it's almost a moot point to say that I am a firm believer in a PreTrib Rapture.
After the church is raptured, how will global demographics shift?
We hope that most Christians will participate in the Blessed Hope, but the truth of the matter is many who claim to be Christians will be left behind, as alluded to by Christ when He said, "I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness".
Currently in the world there are about:
2.2 billion Christians
1.5 billion Muslims
1.0 billion Buddhists
1.0 billion Hindus
and only 18 million Jews plus
an assortment of other smaller relgions which in comparision are less significant.
Even if only half of all professing Christians were raptured, the global majority would instantly be those who practice Islam, the Muslims.
The Book of Daniel accurately predicts to the day when Messiah would enter Jerusalem, riding on the colt of a donkey. For those who are interested, the Book of Daniel also predicts to the day when Israel would be regathered as a Nation, May 14, 1948, and the day that Jerusalem would be recaptured as the capital of Israel once again, June 7, 1967. These are indisputable facts which prove that the Bible is true, but they can only be understood by the scholar who is not lazy, but seeking the truth with effort to prove all things. The casual reader will either accept or dismiss these facts. The purpose of this post is not to prove these two facts, but just to provide an update on the state of the world we live in.
The Book of Daniel goes on to predict that after the Messiah enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, the destruction of Jerusalem by the people of the Prince who shall come is foretold. This Prince is more commonly referred to as the AntiChrist. We know that Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D., so the future Prince will somehow be a ruler of a revived Roman Empire. For many decades this a common belief was that this Prince might be an ecumenical Pope. But now there is a new possibility to consider. A Revived Roman Empire is not required to be Western, but can potentially be Eastern in thought and religion. In other words, the Prince who shall come might not be an ecumenical Pope afterall, but a Muslim. How can this be?
I can think of two ways this can happen:
1) Currently there is a push to get the country of Turkey admitted to the European Union. Even President Barak Obama for some unknown or at least undisclosed reason is pushing for Turkey's inclusion in the E.U. If Turkey is admitted to the European Union then Muslims would instantly become the largest demographic in the entire European Union. The old adage, "majority rules" would most definitely apply.
2) Then again, when the Rapture happens, the Muslims will instantly become the majority not only in the European Union, but in the whole world.
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour…
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth…
Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father.
Click here: In case you think I'm off base or exaggerating about the Islamic intention to 'rule the world'. This is just 1 of thousands of examples.
Never before in the history of the world have the world's three largest religions simultaneously been anticipating that their messiah can appear at any moment.
1) All Christians are looking forward to the return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, though both the Rapture and the Second Coming. Most Christians are looking forward to the Rapture of the Church before the Tribulation.
2) The Jews are expecting their Messiah to appear as a mortal man, not God in the flesh.
3) The Muslims' are expecting their messiah who is known as the Mahdi or the Twelth Imam, a caliph who will be a leader over all Islam.
A few other reasons to consider why the AntiChrist may be connected to Islam are:
Islam explicity states that God has no son.
Muslims execute infidels by beheading, which is the form of execution described in the Book of Revelation describing the time on Earth prior to the Second Coming of Jesus.
Muslims are commanded to kill Jews in their holy book, the Koran.
The Muslim god, Allah, is described as the greatest of deceivers in the Koran, while in the Holy Bible a similar character is refered to as The Father of Lies, the Devil himself. God as described in the Holy Bible is loving and forgiving, Faithful and True.
The Greek characters for the number 666 known as 'The Mark of the Beast' which John wrote of in Revelation while on the Island of Patmos could possibly be Arabic script for "The Name of Allah".
Adolph Hitler (a type of AntiChrist) and the Muslims were more than good friends and shared a common goal of hating and killing Jews.
Not all muslims are terrorists, but almost without exception, all terrorists are muslim. The idea of earning god's approval for blowing innocent people to bits is, well, Satanic. One name for Satan is Apollyon, or 'the Destroyer'.
One prophecy teacher, Dr. Joe VanKoevering, lays out a compelling argument that the identity of Man of Sin aka the Assyrian, can be known and that there is only one person on Earth today who meets the requirements of both the Mahdi and the AntiChrist; his name is the Crown Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan and as a Hashemite is a direct descendant of Mohammed the Prophet of Islam, but he is also related to both the Sunnis and the Shiites. His split ancestry could be quite convenient in uniting the two major factions of Islam. He is the uncle to the current King of Jordan, and was in line to be the King himself until the last moment. Could be.
So what's next? God only knows. If Iran gets their way, the United States under President Obama will either be unwilling or incapable of defending their ally, Israel, when the time comes for Iran to attempt to make good on their threats of "wiping Israel off the map". Iran is as close as a few weeks away from having enough highly enriched uranium to manufacture their own nuclear bomb. For Israel this is unacceptable.
Many Christian prophecy teachers (and students) believe that the Psalm 83 War can happen before the war described in Ezekiel 38, and all agree that the Rapture can happen at any moment.
The last 7 years before Jesus returns are referred to as the Tribulation. This period of time begins when the AntiChrist confirms a peace treaty between Israel and the nations or the many people other than Israel. This man will appear to be a peace maker, but according to God's word he will be a liar and will destroy many with peace. 3 1/2 years after the peace treaty is confirmed he will enter the rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and declare himself to be God, and will perform apparent 'miracles' that many will marvel at, but in reality, he will be filled with the spirit of the Devil himself. It will be Hell on Earth during the last 3 1/2 years before Jesus returns.
When Jesus returns He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
If you haven't yet put your trust in Jesus, do so while there is still time. God is a loving God, but also a God of justice and righteousness. In a quiet place, confess to God that you are a sinner because you have broken His laws and that you want His forgiveness by receiving His free gift of salvation. Seek the truth and you will find it. Jesus Christ paid the price for your sin with His very blood, believe it. He died for you but He also conquered death and rose from the dead. Ask God to show you that He is Faithful and True and you too will step into eternal paradise at the appointed time.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:2-3
"Thus says the Lord God:
'Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone,and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own Land."
Ezekiel 37:21